Bearer of Truth
by Cruelbacon
Summary: Edward Elric has seen more hell than just about anyone. But he's got more coming. Ed joins forces with old friends and war buddies to combat a new enemy, one even more powerful than Father. This will be the Fullmetal Alchemist's final adventure. Rated T for mild language, violence, and mild sexual references.
1. Chapter 1

**Bearer of Truth Chapter 1- Alchemy**

Edward Elric stepped off the train and onto the platform, releasing a deep sigh. He looked out over the rolling hills and green fields of his home town. It had been six months. Six months since he had left Resembool. Six months since he'd seen Winry Rockbell, his childhood friend and secret crush. Six months since he had left her on this platform, making a fool of himself and babbling about equivalent exchange in a marriage proposal gone horribly wrong. He grimaced at the memory. Someday soon, he was going to redo that, hopefully less awkwardly.

Ed hefted his suitcase, setting off along the road. He hobbled on his automail leg, which was now a few inches too short. He had finally grown while he was in Creta, studying the region's alchemy. He was now several inches taller and his features were sharper, more chiseled. He was muscular but thin, tall and lean in a way that had caught the eyes of many Cretian maidens. Ed continued down the road, many people he had known all his life looking at him with puzzled expressions before recognition dawned on their faces and they waved. Ed waved back, chuckling to himself.

He reached the sign indicating that the yellow house in front of him was Rockbell Automail. He had arrived. He walked up to the porch and knocked on the door. A shriek sounded, followed by a loud crash and a string of curses and loud footsteps. The door opened and Winry stood there, glowering. "You better have a good..." She began. She looked up at him, jaw dropping, and she slouched against the doorframe. "Ed?" she asked in disbelief. Edward chuckled and entered, closing the door behind him. "Good to see you too, Winry." he said, his voice a little deeper and smoother than she remembered it being.

Winry relaxed, letting a smile warm her face. "Nice to see you've come back without broken automail for once," she told him. Then she noticed how he was slouching and groaned. "But it looks like you need a new leg anyway," she said. "I'm just glad I don't have to worry about your arm anymore. I'll only need…" Her musing was interrupted by Ed's question. "Where's Granny?" he asked, looking around. Winry smiled and stood, motioning for Ed to follow her. "She's downstairs," she told him, leading him to the basement. They walked down the stairs to find Pinako Rockbell with her back turned to them. "Granny," Winry called. "Ed's here." Pinako stopped her work and turned around. "Well, if it isn't the pipsq-" she started before noticing Edward's height. "Never mind. What brings you to Resembool?" she asked.

Ed smiled. "I finished in the West earlier than I expected," he explained. "I'll tell you about it later. Is Al here?" Pinako nodded. "He is, but he got home from Central late last night and he's still sleeping. We can all talk at lunch." "What was Al doing in Central?" Ed asked, frowning. Pinako and Winry looked at each other. "We'd better let him tell you," Winry said nervously. Ed looked dissatisfied, but agreed. After some more small talk, Winry told Ed she needed to go into town to get some parts for his leg and Ed offered to accompany her. She fit him with a spare automail leg of the right height and they set off.

They walked together to the market. When they walked up to his open store, the town's parts supplier, Gunter, looked up and grinned at them. "Hey, Winry. Hey, Ed. It's been a while. You've certainly grown." "So have you," Ed noted, catching sight of the man's gut. Gunter laughed and slapped his belly. "Credit the wife's cooking!" he said, then grew very serious. "Speaking of wives, when are you going to get yourself one?" he asked Ed. Ed blushed. "Um..Well..I…" Winry blushed too. "I know!" she said suddenly. She handed Ed a list of groceries they needed. "Why don't you go get these while I get automail parts. We can meet up in front of the schoolhouse" Ed nodded quickly, snatching the list and running off.

Winry sighed in relief before noticing that Gunter was smirking at her. "I knew it," he said chuckling. "I knew there was something between you two. What's going on?" Winry bit her lip. "Well, we've been friends for as long as either of us can remember, but we started being more than that a couple of years ago, when I visited Ed in Central. Then, he might have proposed to me just before he left six months ago and I might have said yes, but I'm not sure." Gunter laughed. "That's Ed for you. You can never be sure about that one." His laughs stopped and he locked eyes with Winry. "He's a good man, though. He has a short temper and he shuts people out sometimes, but he's one of the most caring and honest people I know. You're lucky." He grinned again. "Now, what can I get you?"

Winry blushed and handed him the list of parts she needed. He told her he would have them delivered to her house later that night and she set off to meet Ed. As she was nearing the school, someone called her name from somewhere on her left. She looked over, seeing only an alleyway between two shops. She walked over, looking for the person who had called her.

Ed was waiting in front of the schoolhouse when he heard Winry's scream. He dashed off, heading for the alleyway that it seemed to have come from. He rounded the corner and saw Winry lying bound in the alleyway."Turn around!" she screamed. "Ed, run!" Ed stepped towards her, only to be hit hard in the back of the head. He crumpled to the pavement. Winry screamed again and the men who had ambushed Ed knocked her out too.

Ed woke in a small, dark room. The air was thick and a dull rumble sounded beneath him. Winry was propped up next to him, unconscious. Four men in masks sat at the other side of the room, talking anxiously to each other. He nudged Winry and she came to, taking in her surroundings. She motioned for Ed to turn so they would be back to back. If they could do it without anyone noticing, they might be able to untie each other. Ed shifted. "I wouldn't do that," a voice sounded. A fifth man stepped out of the shadows. He bent over Ed and, even through the mask, Ed could smell alcohol on the man's breath. "Nice to see you're awake, piss-eyes. Now the fun can begin," he snorted. "Piss-eyes…" Ed muttered, his eyes narrowing, then widening with realization. Only one person had ever called him that. "Adam Cohen," he spat. Adam snorted, removing his mask. His cronies followed suit.

Adam was a brawny boy with brown eyes and greasy black hair. He wore a permanent scowl on his face and was always covered in dirt and grime. Adam and his "henchmen" had been tormenting Ed, Al, and Winry since they were children. "Not bad, Elric." he said. "But it doesn't matter if you know who we are now." Ed smirked. "Oh yes it does," he said. "Make no mistake, we're getting out of here. But not before I kick your sorry ass." Adam whipped out a knife and slashed Ed's face, leaving a deep gash. Ed didn't give Adam the satisfaction of showing any pain.

Adam snarled. "I hear you lost your alchemy, _pipsqueak_," he teased, shocked when Ed showed no reaction. Winry squirmed. "Come on, Adam," she said. "You're 18, so start acting like an adult. Besides, Ed's taller than you now, pipsqueak." Adam's face went red. "Shut up before I cut out your tongue, bitch." Edward growled. Adam turned back to him, smirking. "Don't like that, eh? Sit tight for a moment while I deal with your girlfriend over here," he said, shoving the blade of his knife into Ed's right thigh and leaving it there. Winry screamed. "Ed!" "Oh, shut it," Adam said crossly. Ed seemed to not take much notice of the blade, grimacing only slightly. "Now ," Adam said, "We'll see whose name you scream when I take.." Twin pillars of metal shot from the wall and smashed Adam's genitals between them.

Adam gave one high-pitched shriek before crumpling to the ground, blood pooling between his thighs. Ed was glaring furiously at Adam's prone form. A metal spike had risen from the floor and split the ropes binding him. He pulled the knife out of his thigh and tossed it aside, standing up. "Who's next?" he asked, raising his fists. All four men charged him.

Winry watched in awe as Ed fought. He would twist, flip, and dodge before dealing a single devastating blow to each opponent. Within a minute, all four men were unconscious. Ed walked over to Winry and used the discarded knife to cut her bonds. He helped her up and together they walked towards the room's single large door. Ed flung it open. He swore and pulled Winry back, both of them stunned by the landscape moving past them. They were on a moving train.

Ed grabbed Winry's shoulders. "Stay here," he said. "I'll try to find a way off the train." Ed leaned out the door, looking ahead. After a moment, he took a deep breath and grabbed Winry's arm, jumping out of the train just as it was on a bridge over a lake. "You idiot, Ed!" Winry screamed. "You can't swim!" Ed's eyes widened just before they hit the water. Winry surfaced, gasping. "Ed!" For a few agonizing moments, it seemed he was gone for good. Then, he suddenly rose out of the water, struggling to stay afloat. He winced at Winry. "Sorry, Win," he said. "I had to ditch the leg." Winry laughed, tears streaming down her face. "I don't care about that, you moron." She hugged him tightly, nearly pulling them both under. "I'm just glad you're not dead." They swam to the shore and crawled onto dry land, exhausted.

Winry took a moment to take in their surroundings. She sighed in relief. They were only a couple miles away from home, but… she glanced over at Ed. With one leg gone and the other wounded, she'd have to carry him. She walked up to him, gasping when she realized he had fainted from loss of blood. She tore off a strip of her shirt and bound his leg. She pulled him onto her shoulders and set off for home. The trip was long and hard since there were no roads to follow, but she eventually arrived safely.

It was nightfall by the time Winry carried Ed up the stairs to the porch. Winry stumbled through the door with Ed still unconscious on her back. Sitting in the living room, both Al and Pinako jumped at her entrance. Al rushed forward. "What happened? Where were you?" he demanded. "Later," Winry told him sternly. "Let's take care of Ed first." Pinako ran to get first aid supplies. "Get him on the couch!" she called over her shoulder. Winry carefully lowered Ed setting him down gently and removed his pants, exposing the stab wound. Pinako ran in, carrying bandages and a needle and thread. "I'll stitch his leg up. That one on his face won't need stitches, but sterilize it and bandage it up," she commanded Winry. Winry quickly obeyed, Al watching anxiously.

Ed woke up a few minutes after Pinako had finished. "Hey guys," he mumbled, coughing. Pinako sighed. "It sure would be nice if you come home undamaged for a change," she said, exasperated. Ed frowned. "I did earlier today, didn't I?" he asked. Pinako shook her head. "Your leg needed to be replaced with all the growing you've done, so that doesn't count." Ed stared at her, mouth agape. "Never thought I'd hear you say that." Pinako smirked. "Don't count on it happening again, Ed. You're still shorter than your younger brother." "Don't call me short," Ed said jokingly, not really having the energy to get mad over it. He sat up and was immediately hit in the back of the head with a wrench. He turned to glare at Winry, but was surprised to see Al wielding the wrench, glaring back at him. "Explain," Al growled. Ed gulped. "W-Winry?" he asked, "Do you think you could tell them? I'll help where I can, but I have the strangest headache." He glared daggers at Al. Winry proceeded to tell them the story, with Ed pitching in details she forgot. When they finished Al looked deep in thought.

"Who was the alchemist who freed Ed and attacked Adam?" Al wondered. "It would have to have been someone of considerable skill." Ed looked at his younger brother grimly. "It was me," he confessed. Al stared at him, shocked. "Brother! But how? How did you do it?" he asked, appearing confused, distressed, and relieved all at once. Ed sighed. "I suppose now is the time to tell everybody about my trip to Creta," he said. "But first…" He looked at Pinako. "Can we eat, Granny? I'm starving." Winry fitted Ed with a new leg and they walked into the kitchen.

Once they were all eating around the table, Ed started to tell his story. He had spent his first four months in Creta without finding any leads. Just when he had been about to give up, he had met an old alchemist who offered to teach him the secrets of Cretian alchemy. Ed was an eager student, but he couldn't try any of the alchemy himself. Then, one night, everything changed.

Ed drew in a deep, shaky breath. "That night, a gang of rogue alchemists attacked the town. The town's only alchemist, the old man who taught me, was on his deathbed. He called me to his bedside and…" Ed trailed off. Winry took hold of his shaking hand and squeezed it reassuringly, urging him to go on. Ed took another deep breath.

"That stupid old man," he said, tears leaking from his golden eyes. Everyone was shocked. Ed never cried. "He opened the portal. He gave his Gate of Truth to me at the cost of his own life." At this, Ed broke into sobs for the first time since the night he and Al had tried to bring back their mother. The others just stared into space, not knowing what to say. After a few minutes with no sound other than Ed's continued sobbing, Winry and Al caught each other's eye and each put a hand on one of Ed's shoulders. "I fought off the other alchemists," he managed. "Saved the town. But that doesn't make me feel much better."

Winry sighed. "You moron, Ed," she said. "The old man gave his life for his friends. You said yourself he was dying anyway. "Don't feel guilty about it." "I know!" Ed snapped. "I know all of that. But that's not the problem. I… I can feel him! His anger, loneliness, pain, loss, confusion! He's inside of me and I can feel him!" Ed completely broke down, leaving everyone to stare in shock. After a few minutes, his sobbing stopped and he slumped over, silent.

Soon after Ed had recovered from his outburst, someone pounded on the door. "Longshot!" a familiar voice sounded. "I know you're in there! Come on out!" "Longshot?" Ed asked, noticing Al's guilty face. He glanced down, noticing the silver chain dangling out of Al's pocket. He glared. "You didn't," he said, clearly furious. Al looked like he might lose his dinner. "Sorry Brother!" he said quickly, "But becoming a state alchemist got me research money for Xing." Ed stormed into the entry hall, planning on telling whatever military bastard was at the door to get lost. At that moment, the door burst open. Ed instinctively transmuted a short blade from thin air. "Colonel?"

He realized it was Mustang, his old commanding officer. Just as Ed lowered the blade, Mustang snapped his fingers, causing an explosion right in front of Ed's chest. Ed flew across the room, landing in a crumpled heap. His shirt smoked, singed nearly all the way through. Mustang descended. He reached down to grab Ed, but Winry grabbed his arm. "Stop it!" she cried. "Ed's done nothing wrong, you bastard!" Mustang just threw her to the ground. A white-hot lump of rage built in Ed's chest. He tore off his smoking shirt and threw it up to the smoke detector, setting the sprinklers off. Mustang swore, unable to use flame alchemy anymore. Ed transmuted a new blade, this time a full sword, and swung it up to touch Mustang's neck. "Get. The hell. Out," Ed growled. Mustang gulped. "Answer my questions first, Fullmetal. You've clearly been lying about your inability to use alchemy. Additionally, you must be using a Philosopher's Stone to transmute from thin air. I thought you were better than that!" Ed's gaze softened a little and the lump of anger began to dissolve. "I suppose you do deserve explanations," Ed sighed. "Sit down. You too, Lieutenant."

Lieutenant Hawkeye walked out of the shadows of the porch and into the house, simultaneously lowering her firearm. "How'd you know I was there?" she asked. Ed smirked. "Easy. Everyone knows Matchstick here doesn't go anywhere without his girlfriend." Hawkeye blushed. "I am not his girlfriend!" Mustang just snarled. "Careful who you call Matchstick, Pipsqueek." Ed stood, straightening to his full height, now nearly two inches taller than Mustang. "You're going to need some new material," he said chuckling. "In the meantime, I'll be enjoying my revenge, _Matchstick_." Ed and Hawkeye walked into the living room, Ed pausing to shut off the sprinklers. Winry handed him a new shirt to put on. Mustang just stared, mouth opening and closing but no sound coming out. After a moment, he followed Ed and sat down on the couch next to Hawkeye. "Brace yourselves," Ed warned them. "It's a bit of a shocker." He told them everything he had told Al, Winry, and Pinako, but managed to keep himself together this time.

Mustang looked thoughtful. Both he and Hawkeye remained perfectly still. She was the first to speak. "So we know how you got your alchemy back, but you still haven't explained why you're using a Philosopher's Stone." Al, Winry, and Pinako perked up. They hadn't heard this part yet.

Ed took a few moments to respond. "It's not a Philosopher's Stone. It's a trick I picked up in Creta." He transmuted a slab of iron with the periodic table engraved on it, again out of thin air. "The periodic table sorts elements by weight. Heavy elements are made by using lighter elements. What I do is fuse oxygen and other elements in the air into the element I need." Mustang jumped up from the couch. "That's… That's amazing! Imagine the possibilities!" Ed held up his hand, stopping him. "There's a catch. Fusion of heavy elements releases a tremendous amount of energy. Only alchemists who have seen the Truth can control it. Even for us it's a little risky. If you lose control, the energy released could cause catastrophic damage.

Mustang paled. "Then how can you justify doing it? What if you lose control?" "The old man who taught me said that I had enough alchemic strength to control the reactions several times over. I, at least, am perfectly safe doing it." Ed responded. Mustang nodded slowly, taking it all in. "Alright, Fullmetal," he said. "That answers my questions, but we still have a problem." "What? What is it?" Ed asked nervously. "I have two options right now regarding your "desertion" of the military. We can't tell everyone this story. Even if they believed us, I don't want any power-hungry maniacs learning what you just told me about." Mustang said. "The first option is that I drag you to Central and put you on trial. Considering what you've done for the country, you'd probably get off pretty easy. The second option is that I can reinstate you as a State Alchemist and pretend I've had you doing undercover work." Ed grimaced. "Those aren't the best options I've ever been given, but I guess…" He was interrupted by Hawkeye. "I have an idea. Fuhrer Grumman wanted to post a State Alchemist in each town and city in Amestris to prevent alchemical abuse. Ed's been in the military long enough, you could promote him straight to Colonel and station him in Resembool. That way, he'd only have to leave home for the occasional mission."

Mustang considered this, then nodded. He turned to Ed. "What do you say, Fullmetal?" he asked. Ed smiled. "Well, I guess it's my best option right now, so I'll take it." Mustang stood. "Good," he said. "We'll leave at 6:00 tomorrow morning. It should only take a day in Central to get the paperwork done." Pinako spoke up. "Do you need somewhere to stay the night?" she asked. Hawkeye nodded. "This way, then." She led them down the hall. "Goodnight, Colonel _Pipsqueek_," Ed called. "General!" Mustang barked back. Ed just laughed. Winry went off to bed too, leaving Ed and Al alone.

Al started to get up. "Not so fast," Ed said threateningly. "You are an idiot. Why the hell would you become a state alchemist?" Al looked uncomfortable. "I needed the research funding, brother." Ed glared at him. "Don't lie to me, Al. There's plenty of money in my account. You know that. Why did you really do it?" Al sighed. "You always could see right through me, brother. I don't want to have to depend on you. I know that sounds silly, but I know that you and I can't be as close as we are right now forever and I know how you feel about Winry. You may need that money yourself one day."

Ed softened a little. "Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. Let's get to bed. Mustang is dragging us off to Central first thing tomorrow morning, so we need our rest. Before that, though, you need to tell me what you "know" about Winry and me." Al snickered. "Well, I know that you won't take your eyes off of her whenever you think she's not looking and she's the same whenever she thinks you're not looking. I also know what happened on a certain train station six months ago." Ed fell off the couch, sputtering. "H-How?" He glared at Al again. "Now I have a new reason to be mad at you, you little sneak! That was private!" Al just laughed. "Whatever it was, it was awful. You'll need to do better than that, Ed." He ran off to their shared room. Grumbling, Ed followed. The two fell asleep quickly.

Winry walked into their room quietly. She sat down next to Ed's bed and sighed. He still slept with his tummy out. She pulled down his shirt so he wouldn't get cold. She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and started to write a note for Ed.

_Ed,_

_ I know you'll probably have to go to Central, so I'll stay up to work on your leg. The work is going surprisingly quickly, so I should have it done. If I'm asleep when you get up, it will be on my workbench in the basement. I've taught Al how to connect the nerves in case you need reattachment on the road, so he can hook it up for you. Don't do anything stupid while I'm not around to watch you._

_Have a nice trip!_

_Winry_

She capped her pen and put the note on Ed's bedside table. Ed stirred in his sleep. Winry had been harboring a crush on him since they were really little. She hadn't thought that he felt the same, but then he had pulled that stunt at the train station before leaving for Creta. And he had been super protective of her today, first with Adam, then with General Mustang. She hoped he did like her. She got up, planting a kiss on Ed's cheek before she left. Edward Elric was not easy to love. He had a quick temper and tended to retreat deep within himself whenever something dangerous had happened to him, refusing to share what had happened with anyone other than Al. But she loved him anyway. Only time would tell if he returned that love.


	2. Chapter 2

**Bearer of Truth Chapter 2- Central**

Ed woke suddenly, drenched in sweat and breathing hard. Another nightmare, that was all. He calmed down and glanced at his alarm clock. 4:00. They didn't have to leave for another two hours. He knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, so he reached for the alchemy book on his bedside table and noticed Winry's note. After reading it, he got up and crept downstairs to check on her.

He found her asleep at her workbench, the completed automail in front of her. He smiled, shaking her gently. "Winry," he whispered. She stirred and sat up, blinking. "You gearhead," Ed chuckled. "You fell asleep at your workbench again." Winry yawned. "Morning, alchemy freak. Why don't you sit down and I'll fit your automail." Ed sat down, eyes on the floor. Winry was wearing the revealing tube top she normally wore while working and he couldn't get too excited since she would see him with his pants down in a moment.

Winry picked up the leg. "Alright, you know the drill." Ed pulled off his pants, grateful to find his boxers were still loose, and stretched out his leg. Winry disconnected the spare leg and quickly snapped the new one into place. She lined up the nervepoints and looked at Ed, waiting. Ed gave a quick nod and gritted his teeth. Winry connected the nervepoints to his leg. Ed groaned and stiffened for a moment before he released his held breath and unclenched his fists.

Winry flopped on the couch next to him. "How're you holding up?" she asked. Ed moved his new leg. "Feels great. Better than ever, actually. How did you make it so quickly?" Winry shrugged. "I just extended the skeleton and plating from your old leg instead of starting from scratch. That's not what I meant when I asked how you were holding up, though." Ed sighed. "I know. I guess I'm okay. It's just a little depressing to have all these emotions bottled up inside me, especially when I can't do anything to get rid of them since they're not mine." Winry looked thoughtful. "Didn't Hohenheim say that he spoke with the souls inside of him? You could try that."

Ed looked surprised. "Yeah, he did. Thanks Win, I hadn't thought of that." The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes. Winry was the first to speak. "So, Ed, would you mind telling me what that was you were saying at the train station six months ago." Ed's face instantly turned red as a beet. He looked over to see Winry holding off giggles. "You're mocking me," he said accusingly. Winry stopped her giggles with some effort. "No, I honestly want to know. What was that? Was it what I think it was?" Ed sighed. "It was, but it was a pretty awful attempt. I promise I'll do better next time." "Next time?" Winry asked. "Then you are serious about this." Ed looked offended. "Of course I am, Winry. You think I would joke about something like this?"

Winry giggled again. "I wouldn't put it past you, Ed. One thing, though. You have to promise me something." Ed looked into her eyes. "Okay, what is it?" "I need you to promise you won't keep me in the dark anymore. If you have to do something dangerous, tell me so I can do what I can to help." She held up hand when Ed started to protest. "I'm not asking for you to bring me to all your fights, but I want to know where you are, at least. Deal?" Ed squirmed for a moment, but relented. "Deal," he said. Winry smiled at him. "So, have you kept any secrets from me? Any of your adventures you haven't told me about?"

Ed sighed in defeat. He had promised. "There was one thing I never told you about. I figured you would worry too much, even though it was in the past." Winry scooted closer to Ed, looking into his golden eyes with curious blue ones. Ed gulped. "When you left with Scar up near Briggs, I got in a fight with Kimblee. I thought I had him defeated, but then he pulled out a Philosopher's Stone and brought the building down on me. When I woke up, I had a steel beam running through me." Winry looked horrified, but let Ed continue. "I managed to use alchemy to heal myself, but there was a chance that the method I used had shortened my lifespan. I didn't want to ask you to be with me, not when I might only live for thirty years, so I didn't say anything when we met in Resembool. Later, though, I asked Hohenheim about it and he said the energy I used only equates to about three weeks of life, so I can live normally after all."

Ed looked over at Winry. She was sobbing gently. He put a hand on your shoulder. "I made you cry again," he said. "I'm not supposed to do that." Winry pulled herself together for Ed's sake. "No, I'm glad you told me. I just worry about you. You get involved in too much dangerous stuff." Ed pulled her into his arms, blushing furiously. They sat like that for several minutes before separating.

Winry smirked and giggled. "You know, Ed, we're going to have to tell the others about us. If we don't, they'll find out the hard way." Ed's eyes widened and he groaned, leaning his head into his hands. "That bastard Mustang will never leave us alone. He'll follow us all day bursting with sexual innuendos." Winry laughed. "It won't be that bad, Ed." She looked at him. "Ed?" She grabbed his chin and pulled his head up to look at her.

Gold eyes met sapphire ones and the two teens lost themselves in the moment. They leaned in, noses almost touching, and hesitated. Sharing a glance, they went the rest of the way. The kiss was slow, lingering, and passionate. Ed was the one to pull away after a moment. "Wow," he said, out of breath. He leaned back in to kiss her again. "Well, well, well," a voice sounded from behind them. "Way to go, Fullmetal. I never thought you would get the guts." Ed and Winry whipped around. Roy Mustang stood at the base of the stairs, a smug grin plastered on his face.

Ed's eyes went from shocked to furious in a heartbeat. He clapped his hands and slapped the floor. A fist of concrete came from below and sent Mustang flying up the stairs. Mustang just laughed. "We leave in twenty minutes," he called. "Finish your goodbyes." He left Ed and Winry red-faced and open-mouthed. Ed looked at Winry. "Uh..goodbye I guess." Winry pulled Ed in for a last kiss, making sure no one else was around first, before letting him go.

When Ed arrived upstairs, Pinako ambushed him. "If you break my granddaughter's heart, I will kick your ass all the way to Dublith then have Izumi pick up where I left off." Ed gulped and nodded quickly. Pinako's eyes brightened. "You two are perfect for each other. Don't mess up." She walked off, leaving Ed to get ready. He quickly packed and met Al, Mustang, and Hawkeye on the front porch. Together, they set off down the road to the train station. After walking a ways, Ed looked back. Winry was waving at him. He lifted his arm and waved back.

Beside him, Mustang snickered. "Oh, shut your mouth, General Wiseass," he said irritably. Mustang just laughed harder. Al looked at them. "What is it?" he asked. "What are you laughing at, General?" Mustang broke his laughter for a moment to speak. "I walked in on Fullmetal's makeout session," he said. "The look on his face!" He started laughing again. Al looked surprised. "Brother!" Then he started laughing. "It's about time!" He and Mustang laughed together for a few moments before the sound of a gun being cocked silenced them. Hawkeye was glaring back at them. "Stop teasing him," she said seriously. Al and Mustang both straightened and shut up immediately. Hawkeye winked at Ed and he mouthed a silent thanks. The group arrived at the train station and bought their tickets. The train pulled in soon after and they boarded, heading for the private booth they had purchased.

They sat down, Al and Mustang on one bench, Ed and Hawkeye on the other. "Longshot," Mustang ordered, "Go find the food cart." Al got up, leaving the booth with a "Yes sir." Ed turned a curious gaze to Mustang. "Why 'Longshot'?" he asked. "It's his state title," Mustang answered. "The Longshot Alchemist. He specializes in turning anything around him into a projectile. He's quite the shot." Ed nodded, feeling sleepy. He was out before Al got back with the food cart.

When he woke up, they were pulling into Central Station. Mustang looked him up and down. "Pull up the hood on your jacket," he advised. "If anyone recognizes you, you'll be swarmed." Ed pulled up his hood along with Mustang. The group managed to get through the station and into the government car without anyone recognizing the Fullmetal and Flame alchemists. When they arrived at HQ, they moved quickly into the building. They somehow got into Mustang's office without anyone stopping them.

Mustang flopped into his chair with Hawkeye at his shoulder while Ed and Al reclined on the couches. "Just like old times," Mustang commented. Ed grunted. The two of them started the paperwork they needed to do to reinstate Ed and promote him to Colonel. Not long after they finished, a knock sounded on the door and it was opened. Mustang's crew walked in, stopping when they saw Ed. Major Armstrong pushed to the front of the group, shirt already thrown aside. "Edward Elric!" he exclaimed. "I knew this would happen! My perfect physique has inspired you to grow taller!" He started flexing and posing as the others came to greet Ed. They continued to ignore Armstrong until he put his shirt back on and walked over to the group.

When Armstrong moved to shake Ed's hand, he noticed the paperwork on Mustang's desk. "State Alchemist forms… but you lost you alchemy in your valiant sacrifice to return your lost brother, Edward!" Ed stuttered nervously. "I uh.. I got it back." The way he said it made it sound like a question. Fuery spoke up. "How?" he asked. "Well… um…" "The details are unimportant. What does matter is that Fullmetal is back and he is to be stationed in Resembool to prevent alchemic abuse in the area," Mustang said. Breda was the one to speak up this time. "Doesn't a stationed position require a rank of colonel or higher?" Mustang nodded. "It does. Which is why…" he pulled a box from underneath his desk. "I, Brigadier General Roy Mustang, promote you, Major Edward Elric, to the rank of Colonel, and grant you the duties and privileges associated with the office." Mustang sounded bitter. "I accept," Ed said, rising to accept the box from Mustang. He opened it to reveal his official letter of promotion along with his new badge indicating his rank.

"It is my responsibility to inform you that you are the youngest person ever to attain this rank. Your name will replace the previous holder of the record in the record book," Mustang continued. "Who was the previous holder of the record?" Ed asked. Hawkeye snickered and Mustang's head drooped. "I was." Ed laughed. "You better pick up your game, _Brigadier General_. At this point, I'll beat you to Fuhrer! You'll never get those 520 cens back now." "Not funny," Mustang grumbled, but everyone was laughing now. When they had all stopped, Mustang addressed Ed again. "As a colonel, you may select a team of five subordinates to be stationed with you. One of these five may be a fellow state alchemist if you wish." "That'd be Al," Ed said. Mustang nodded. "As expected. You're all dismissed. Fullmetal, try to find other members for your unit. Then, come back tomorrow morning to fill out transfer papers."

Everyone exited the room. Falman, Breda, Fuery, Havoc, and Hawkeye returned to their offices. Ed told Al to go find a hotel to stay in while he pulled some files on military personnel. Ed requested the records of all unassigned soldiers from Fuhrer Grumman's secretary. She looked skeptical. "That's a lot of records to go through, sir. Are you sure you don't want me to narrow them down for you?" "That's fine," Ed said. "I'll narrow them down myself." The secretary handed him an enormous stack of files and he sat down on a nearby couch, setting the pile beside him. He went through each one individually, opening the file for a moment before putting into one of two piles. When he was done, he took the smaller pile and went through each file in it again, taking more time. When he finished, he had four files sitting in front of him, the rest put to the side.

He walked over to give the large pile of files to the secretary. She looked shocked. "How did you narrow it down so quickly? I've seen men with far fewer files take far more time to select candidates that quickly." Ed shrugged. "The first time I went through, I set aside anyone with a count of insubordination. The second time, I narrowed it down by the reason for that insubordination. I don't want mindless pawns, I want men who will make decisions on their own, even if it means going against my orders. At the same time, I don't want anyone who will disobey for the wrong reasons." The secretary just stared as Ed turned around, the four files in hand, and walked out.

Ed called the numbers of the superior officers given in the files and was relieved to find that all his candidates were in Central. They were actually all on break in a popular pub next to HQ. Ed went to the pub, the first one he had entered in his life. The bartender glared at him. "Yer not old 'nuff. Get out." Ed flashed his silver pocket watch, shocking the man. "I'm here on state business. I have no intention of drinking." Ed walked away, looking for the faces from the pictures he had been given. The first one didn't take him long. Sergeant Braxton Riley was sitting across from a much bigger man at a table, a chess board between the two. The larger man suddenly threw his hands up in frustration and stomped off, leaving Sergeant Riley chuckling.

Ed took the vacant seat and Riley looked at him in surprise. Riley was a bit shorter than Ed, with short brown hair and cunning blue eyes. "I'd like to play you," Edward challenged. Riley chuckled again and reset the board. They began their game and several turns passed before either of them spoke. "May I ask your name, stranger? And your reason for challenging me to a game I never lose?" Riley asked. Edward moved his knight. "Colonel Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist. And I challenged you to a game _I_ never lose." Riley broke his shocked expression with a short laugh. "We'll see about that," he said. Ed just grinned evilly at him. "Checkmate," he declared. Riley looked down at the board in total shock. No one had ever beaten him.

Sergeant Riley let out a low whistle. "You're good," he relented. "Very good. Do you have any other reason for being here?" Ed smiled. "I do, actually." He handed Riley his own file. "I want you to join my unit. We'll be stationed in Resembool, a small town to the southeast just before you get to Ishval." Riley looked shocked. "I-I'm honored, sir. But are you sure it's me you want? I'm not a very good…" "Yes, I want you," Ed interjected. "Are you in?" Riley stood and saluted. "Yes, sir!" Ed stood, walking towards the next person he needed to talk to. "Good," he said over his shoulder. "Meet me in Brigadier General Mustang's office at 0900 tomorrow."

The next person he walked up to was Sergeant Amy Smith. She was of average height with short red hair, bright green eyes, and a slender body. She sat with four other women who were engaged in a conversation that was difficult to follow. Ed opened his mouth to speak, but Sergeant Smith held up a hand to silence him. "Colonel Edward Elric, right? And you want me to join your little team? I overheard your conversation with Sergeant Riley over there. I'm in. See you tomorrow." She walked away. Ed smiled and moved on.

His next candidate was in a fight with a large drunk man. Before anyone could break up the fight, 2nd Lieutenant John Voyage delivered a vicious kick to the side of the other man's head, putting him on the ground. The police officers in the corner moved forward to grab him, but Ed flashed his pocket watch, grabbing Voyage by the arm. "I'll handle this," he told them. He pulled Voyage over to a table and sat him down, taking the seat opposite him. "Colonel Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist," he said, holding out his hand. Voyage shook it. "Nice to meet you, sir. I've heard a lot about you. What do you need from me?" Ed smiled. "I'm putting together a unit to be stationed in a small town called Resembool. I want you to be a part of it." Voyage grinned. "It would be an honor, sir. I have some family living down there." Ed looked intrigued. "Really? Who? I grew up down there, I may know them." "My aunt and uncle live there with my cousin and grandma. The family name is Rockbell." Ed sprayed the water he had been sipping at all over the table. "Rockbell?! As in Winry, Pinako, Sara, and Urey?" Voyage nodded. "So you do know them?" Ed gulped. "You could say that. However, you must not have heard that your aunt and uncle are dead." Voyage's eyes widened. "What?!" Ed nodded. "They were surgeons in the Ishvalan civil war. They were killed by a man they had just saved." Voyage let out a long breath. "They were good people. I'll miss them. How's Winry holding up?" "She's doing fine," Ed said. "She got some closure about a year ago." "What happened?" "That's something you'll have to ask her when we get to Resembool. It's not my place to say." "So you're assuming that I'll go to Resembool with you?" "Yep." "Well, you're right. I'll go." "Good." Ed stood. "Brigadier General Mustang's office. 0900. See you there."

Ed walked towards the bar, where he had seen the last person he needed to talk to. Private Michael Glenroy was drinking heavily. He didn't notice when Ed sat down next to him. "Private Glenroy." Ed got his attention. "I'm Colonel Elric. I'd like for you to join a unit stationed in Resembool in southeast Amestris. What do you say?" Glenroy put down his drink. "What if I don't want to?" Ed frowned. "I could always order you to." "What if I don't go anyway?" Ed sighed. "What do I have to do to get you to come with me?" he asked. Glenroy thought about it, then pointed towards the back of the pub. "There's a poster next to the restrooms. Prove to me you have what it takes to be a strong commanding officer and I'll consider your proposal." With that, he downed his drink and left the pub.

Ed walked over to see the poster. When it came into sight, he groaned. It was an advertisement for an alchemy tournament that night. How had Glenroy known he was an alchemist? Was his pocket watch showing? Grumbling, Ed left the pub for the hotel he and Al would be staying at. He would need a disguise for the tournament or people would swarm him the moment he showed his face. Stupid golden eyes. They were so distinctive that they had become a beacon to anyone who knew who he was, which was pretty much anyone.

Ed stood in front of the entrance to the underground alchemy ring. He was wearing black clothes that covered everything below the neck and Alphonse's old helmet covered his head. The crowd of people moving into the tunnel was overwhelming, but there was a separate entrance for contestants. He took this door, following the stairs down to a large room with several soft chairs. A large door led to the arena on the far side of the room. Ed counted seven other alchemists in the room. He was the last to arrive.

After a few minutes, an announcer's voice could be heard. "Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight we bring to you the 12th annual Central Alchemy Tournament!" Cheers resounded through the walls and feet pounded, causing the hanging lights to sway back and forth. "The rules are as follows: no killing, no severing limbs. There will be three rounds to determine a winner. That winner will face last year's champion in a fight for the title. Play fair and may the best alchemist win. The first match will be between Keiran Lawson and Dashiell Bloxham!" Two of the alchemists in the room got up and left through the door to the arena. After a few minutes, one walked back in and Dashiell Bloxham was announced as the winner. "The second match will be between Dexter Stainthorpe and an alchemist who prefers to remain anonymous. How mysterious!" Ed got up, eying the man who stood up with him. The man was large, almost as big as Major Armstrong, and wore no shirt. He wore fingerless gloves with transmutation circles drawn on them. Ed wore a similar pair to mask his circle-free transmutations. They walked together through the door and into the center of the large rectangular arena. Fans screamed Stainthorpe's name. Evidently he was popular. The two shook hands and retreated to their own sides.

As soon as the bell rang, Ed dashed towards the bigger man. Stainthorpe snorted and settled into a crouch, ready to meet Ed head on. When Ed got close, he lunged, but Ed anticipated the move and jumped over his head. As he passed, Ed brought his left foot back and connected with the back of Stainthorpe's head. The man grunted once and fell. Ed landed gracefully and planted his foot on Stainthorpe's back to ensure the man did not rise.

Hissing and booing echoed from the crowd. Their favored contestant had been defeated and they hadn't even seen any alchemy. Ed retreated to the waiting room as the announcer declared his victory. The other alchemists in the room stared at him, obviously sizing him up. Stainthorpe had underestimated him and they would not make the same mistake.

Ed's next match went much the same way, without any alchemy. The crowd hated him at this point, but he knew that his third match would not be so easy. He would probably have to use alchemy for this one. His opponent was Brett Christison and, judging from the transmutation circles on his gauntlets, he would be able to shoot electricity at his opponents. Before the bell rang, Ed quickly scanned the crowd, eventually locking eyes with Private Glenroy. Glenroy nodded at him and the bell rang, starting the fight. Christison didn't give Ed any time to think. Blue lightning shot from his gloved hands towards Ed. Ed dodged and subtly put his hands together, hoping the crowd wouldn't notice in the excitement. He slapped his palms to the ground, causing a section of the floor to rise quickly beneath Ed and sending him flying towards his opponent. Ed clapped his hands in midair and landed on his palms. A dome of rock grew over him, giving him a moment to transmute in privacy. He transmuted a spear and a tunnel leading out of his dome. He came up behind Christison and swung his weapon up to meet the man's neck. Christison backed up, however, trying to get out of range. Ed danced forward, spinning and avoiding Christison's blows, biding his time. When Christison's guard dropped for a fraction of a second, Ed was ready. He swung his spear up to Christison's neck and held it there. The crowd cheered for him this time, amazed at his talent.

Christinson gave him a look of begrudging admiration and shook his hand. The announcer came out onto the arena, an obese man with greasy black hair. "We have our winner!" he declared. "Now he must face the reigning champion, who has defended his title for seven years...Roy Mustang!" "Shit," Ed muttered under his breath. A panel opened in the center of the floor and Mustang rose from it. The moment he saw Ed's helmet, his eyes widened in shock. "Fullmetal?" he asked incredulously. Ed swore. No point in wearing the helmet now. He took it off as the audience gasped at Mustang identifying him. Their voices became excited whispers. The two most famous alchemists in Amestris would be squaring off right in front of them.

The announcer recovered from his shock to speak into his microphone. "Ladies and Gentlemen, what an exciting development! Our anonymous alchemist is Edward Elric himself! Tonight you will see Flame vs Fullmetal!" The crowd went nuts. "What the hell are you doing here, Mustang?" Ed asked tersely. "I could ask you the same question, Fullmetal." The two were told to separate and they walked to the far ends of the arena. Ed took a deep breath. This last fight was going to be harder than he had imagined. He knew he couldn't use Cretian alchemy in front of so many people, so he was already at a disadvantage. He'd have to be quick to avoid Mustang's attacks.

Before he had more time to think, the bell rang. Neither alchemist moved immediately, waiting for the other to make the first move. Eventually, Ed clapped his hands and transmuted another dome over him. Mustang smirked and snapped, causing the dome to explode into hundreds of pieces. When the smoke cleared, Ed was nowhere to be seen. Puzzled, Mustang looked around carefully. Ed dropped down right in front of him, holding two swords. He swung, causing Mustang to take a step back. When Ed stepped forward to match him, a spur of rock rose beneath Mustang's front foot, causing him to fall backwards. He rolled away just in time, but another step from Ed caused two more spurs of rock to snag Mustang's gloves, pulling them off.

Mustang swore, standing up and reaching for more from his pocket. Ed didn't let him get that far. He ran at Mustang, each step causing a spur of rock to rise beneath Mustang's boots, causing him to stumble. Ed swung at Mustang with looping blows, graceful and dangerous at the same time. Mustang's back hit the wall and Ed's next step caused the stone to encase Mustang, trapping him completely. Ed brought his swords down together, stopping just shy of Mustang's head. The crowd held their collective breath for a moment before deafening cheers erupted. Ed freed Mustang and shook his hand. "How'd you transmute like that?" Mustang asked. Ed lifted his boots to show Mustang the half dozen transmutation circles carved into each one. "I just have to step to transmute. Comes in pretty handy." The announcer pulled Ed into the center of the arena and raised his arm.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner! Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist! The crowd went nuts. They jumped over the walls of the arena and rushed Ed, picking him up and carrying him outside. As he was being paraded through the streets, one hand caught his arm. Ed looked down to see Private Glenroy looking up at him. "You have my respect," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow morning." The crowd swept him away and Ed allowed himself a smirk. Everything was coming together.

Mustang glared at Ed from across his desk as Ed filled out transfer paperwork for himself and the other members of his chosen unit, who were standing behind him, talking quietly with one another. Ed studiously ignored him, finishing the last paper with speed Mustang could only dream of. Ed may not have followed orders well, but he was a whiz at paperwork. When Ed handed Mustang the stack of paperwork, Mustang glanced at it only briefly before speaking. "Everything seems to be in order. Everyone but Fullmetal and Longshot is dismissed. The others walked and Al stepped forward to stand beside Ed.

Mustang grinned evilly. "I know how much you love military uniforms, Fullmetal. One of the requirements of being a colonel is that you must wear one at all times on duty." Ed started to protest. "If you think you're going to get me into one of those monkey suits-" Mustang raised his voice to interrupt him. "However, Fullmetal, you're in luck. Just yesterday, we got word that state alchemists would be issued new uniforms to set them apart from other members of the military. I have a feeling you'll like these a little better." He reached beneath his desk and produced a pair of black uniforms. They were shorter than ordinary military uniforms, more suited for close combat. They also looked to be tighter and more flexible to aid in maneuverability. Other than that and the color, they looked just like an ordinary uniforms. Ed's had three golden stars on each shoulder, indicating his rank. Al's had only one star. Mustang handed them the uniforms and dismissed them, Ed still grumbling under his breath.

Al tried to placate him. "Come on, brother, they're not that bad. They're even intimidating. I thought you liked intimidating." Ed continued to mope. "I do, but these glorified dresses could never be intimidating." Al sighed. There was no arguing with Ed when he was like this. His brother's innate stubbornness was next to impossible to beat. Their mother had alway said that he got it from their father, but Ed had always disagreed vehemently, not wanting to admit that any part of him came from the object of his hatred.

The two walked out into the lobby, meeting up with the rest of the unit. Ed addressed them briefly. "Go pack up anything you don't have already. Our train departs from platform two in three hours. Don't miss it." The soldiers saluted. "Yes, sir." "One more thing. I don't want you calling me 'sir'. I'm Ed, or if that's too informal for you, Edward. Not 'sir', not 'Fullmetal', just 'Ed'." The soldiers nodded their assent. He and Al left the building and started towards their hotel room. They didn't even make it 300 yards.

A young lady leaving a nearby bookstore spotted Ed and screamed, catching the attention of everyone in the square. "Omigod, it's the Fullmetal Alchemist!" she shrieked. Other people started to notice and surged forward, surrounding Ed. "Fullmetal!" "Could you come to my daughter's birthday party?" "Sign my forehead!" "Marry me, Edward!" The cries for attention barraged him from every side. He groaned. He hated this. "Come on, Al. We're leaving." Ed transmuted a section of the ground beneath them, causing it to shoot up and away from the crowd, carrying Al and him with it. They hit the ground running, many of the girls from the crowd following them. Ed groaned again. "This way, Al! We'll lose them in the alleyways!" They darted into a narrow alley. When they reached the end, Ed turned and transmuted a wall, sealing off the alley.

"That ought to do it, eh Al?" Ed asked, smirking. Before Al could respond, a sandaled foot hit Ed in the side of the head, sending him flying into a wall. "Edward Elric! You lied to me and your friends! You didn't lose your ability to transmute! Don't even try to deny it, I just saw you transmute that wall!" Standing over Ed, a furious look on her face, was Izumi Curtis, their old alchemy teacher. Ed rubbed his head. "Damn, teacher. I would have thought you were too old to hit like that." That comment earned him another kick in the head. "Okay, sorry! I can explain everything, but it'll take a while." Izumi's face instantly softened. "Well, I know a perfect cafe where we can talk," she said.

Before long, they were sitting in front of the cafe with Sig, talking over cups of coffee. Ed told them everything he had told the others, including the secrets of Cretian alchemy. Izumi sat still for several moments before opening her mouth. "I've never heard of anyone transferring their alchemic abilities to another person. However, after seeing what you did for Al, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." Just then, the group of girls that had been chasing Ed rounded a corner down the street and caught sight of him, screaming collectively and rushing forward. Ed got up quickly. "Gotta go," he said quickly. "We'll come visit you in Dublith soon. Come on, Al!" The two of them ran for the train station, girls in tow. Izumi chuckled, watching them recede into the distance. Even in peacetime, those brothers found something to run from.


	3. Chapter 3

**Bearer of Truth Chapter 3- Girlfriends and Cattle**

The train pulled into Resembool station mid-afternoon. The group stepped out and stretched their cramped muscles. "God, I hate trains," Smith complained. The others grunted their agreement. Ed spoke up. "Oh, don't be a bunch of babies. You'll get over it. Now, where's this building Mustang said would be here." Al pointed to the east. "There, brother. Just before the scrapyard." Ed looked and saw a two-story marble building. The team of alchemists building it were just finishing the wall guarding separating the building from the others in town. Although not overly large, the building dwarfed all those around it, making it seem bigger than it was.

The alchemist overseeing the project saluted when he saw Ed walking up. "Greetings, Colonel," he said in a formal tone. "We'll be done in just a moment. Only two transmutations remain." Noticing a pile of material next to a gap in the wall, Ed stepped towards it. "I'll handle this one," he said. "It'll be faster for me." He clapped his hands and within seconds, the wall was complete. The supervisor and the men finishing up the other gap stared at him in awe. "I had heard you were good, but transmuting without a circle! You're a real prodigy, sir." The supervisor sounded almost frightened. Ed smirked. "All in a day's work." Ed's unit entered the building. On the inside, it was simply, yet lavishly, furnished. The front doors opened into a living room, complete with a radio and a fireplace. Behind that, the kitchen and the dining room were large enough to entertain several guests in addition to their small group. Two open doors revealed a conference room and an office with several desks.

Nodding in approval, Ed led the group downstairs. The basement was larger than the building itself and it included a firing range, a sparring ring, an open area to practice alchemy, and an armory filled with guns, swords, and grenades. Going upstairs revealed living quarters for each of the people stationed there, as well as a guest room and recreation room. Another set of stairs led to the attic, which was empty.

Ed turned to the group. "Alright, everyone, get settled. We'll discuss business at dinner tonight." Voyage stepped forward. "Actually, sir… er Ed, I was hoping you could point me to where the Rockbells are living. I'd like to see them first if that's alright." Ed nodded. "That's no problem, I'll take you there. You're in charge until I get back, Al." Ed and Voyage left their new headquarters and set off down the road towards Winry's.

Along the road, they passed the path that led to the burnt husk of Ed's old home. "Who lived there?" Voyage inquired. "Al and I did before we left to join the military," Ed told him. "We burned it down to make sure we wouldn't turn back." Voyage nodded, but looked unsatisfied. What was the deal with these Elric brothers? Just how messy was their past?

When they finally reached the Rockbell household, Ed walked up and knocked on the door. Voyage hung back, wanting to give Ed a chance to explain before he introduced himself. Winry opened the door and stared at Ed with a slightly amused expression. "I figured they'd stuff you into one of those. You make it look good, though." Before Ed could protest, Winry leaned up and kissed him, not noticing Voyage gawking at them. "Colonel?" he asked surprised. Winry jumped at the voice and separated herself from Ed. Their faces were redder than the setting sun. Voyage continued staring back and forth between them until Ed managed an introduction. "Uh… Winry, this is Lieutenant John Voyage. Lieutenant, this is Winry my uh…" he glanced at Winry, hesitating. "My girlfriend." Voyage took only a moment to recover. He started laughing, laughing so hard he fell to the ground, rolling in the dirt. A wrench hit him square in the side of the head. He sat bolt upright, seeing Winry glaring at him and Ed staring at her with a shocked expression. "John Voyage…" Winry's voice trembled with fury. "You don't come visit us for how many years, then come back on assignment and have the nerve to laugh at me? You're in for some serious pain, buster." Voyage backed up, holding up his hands. "It… It's not like that, Winry. I j-just…" "You just what?" Winry snapped.

Ed reached forward and placed a hand on Winry's shoulder. She whirled around, raising another wrench, but her gaze softened when she saw his expression. She turned back to Voyage. "You have some explaining to do, mister," she said. Voyage let out a sigh of relief and shot Ed a grateful look. "The last time I came to your house, do you remember how I got a phone call telling me to come home quickly. Well, my mom was very sick. She passed away before I got back home. My dad was a changed man after that. He sulked everywhere and got so protective of me that he wouldn't let me go anywhere or do anything. Eventually, he died too. When he did, I joined the military. I rose through the ranks quickly. I had been on active duty for only seven months when I hit Major. That's when the Fuhrer asked me to lead a mission to destroy a small town. I refused and he demoted me. I didn't do much until Ed found me swinging fists in a bar. I never thought I'd have the opportunity to serve under a state alchemist. I was so excited when Ed told me we'd be stationed in Resembool, the very town I'd been ordered to destroy."

Ed looked shocked. "When were you ordered to do this?" he asked. "It was during the joint north-east training just before the coup." Ed took a deep breath. "Looks like our bomb got him just in time." "Yeah," Winry agreed. "Bomb?" Voyage asked. "Wait, you were part of the uprising? The press didn't release your name!" Ed raised a hand. "We'll talk later," he said. Together, the three of them walked into the house. Pinako was waiting for them. "Nice to see you again, John. And Ed, you're looking unusually sharp." "Shut up ya old hag! I always look sharp!" Ed snapped. "What, that horrid red cloak of yours, sharp?" Pinako yelled back. "As if!" Winry hefted a wrench. "That's enough you two." Silence fell. "How's your automail doing, Ed? Any problems?" Ed shook his head. "Nope. Holding up great. You always were the best." Winry blushed. His compliments took on extra meaning now that they were in a relationship.

They hung around for a bit, but Ed and Voyage had to leave to get back for dinner. Winry walked with them to headquarters. "Wow," she said as they approached. "Pretty impressive for a building that wasn't started until this morning. You alchemists sure are a freaky bunch." Ed's eyebrows twitched. "Not half as freaky as you gearheads," he retorted. Before Winry could respond, Al came out of the building, followed by the rest of the unit. Seeing Ed's hand in Winry's, everyone shot him looks of jealousy.

"Winry, this is my team. Everyone, this is Winry." Everyone came to greet her. She shifted uncomfortably as she was barraged with names and questions. Eventually, everyone backed off, giving her a little space. "Riley," Ed said. "Go start preparing for dinner. We'll be along in a moment." Sergeant Riley left to do as Ed said. Winry's stomach growled and Ed laughed. "I'd offer to let you stay for dinner, but we've got some really boring stuff to discuss, Winry," he said. "I'll make it up to you tomorrow night." Winry blushed. "Oh… sure, Ed. See you guys later." She left, leaving Ed with the rest of his unit.

Private Glenroy leaned over to Ed. "You sure know how to pick 'em," he noted. Ed snorted. "Call it luck, I guess." Everyone laughed and they went inside, where Riley was finishing setting the table. Al, who had been cooking, went into the kitchen to get everything. When they started eating, Ed addressed them.

"I know all of your stories from your files, so it's only fair that you know mine." he told them. The others straightened. The Fullmetal Alchemist's background had always been shrouded in mystery. Not even higher-ups in the military seemed to know. Ed telling anyone about it was practically unheard of. Rumor had it only Mustang and his team knew.

Ed started with his mother's death and went all the way to his return to Central with Mustang the other day. He didn't leave out any details, not even what he had learned in Creta. He wanted to trust his team and he wanted them to trust him. Being honest with them was the best way to establish that trust.

When he had finished, everyone was a little shaken. Amy was the first to speak. "So you two have committed the taboo, Fuhrer Bradley was a homunculus, we were all part of a philosopher's stone for a few minutes, and you can transmute from thin air. It's a lot to take in." Ed looked grim. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth." Everyone nodded. It was clear they believed him despite his unlikely story.

Ed suddenly grinned. "On a lighter note, there is a second reason I wanted to talk to all of you tonight. We have an exercise to complete." Everyone groaned. Ed's grin widened. "Oh, don't worry. I have a feeling you'll like this one." Amy smirked. "I suppose I'm in. I'll do it."

"There is no way in hell I'm doing this," Amy said firmly. The others nodded quickly in agreement. Ed looked exasperated. "Oh come on, guys. You know you'll like it." Michael shook his head. "I didn't join the military to cause trouble in a small town with a superior officer half my age, Ed. I'm with Amy on this one." Ed snorted. "Fine. I'll take the first one."

Before they could stop him, Ed leaped out from the bush they were hiding behind. He crept slowly through the grass as he approached his target. When he got close enough, he planted his hands firmly on the target's side and shoved hard. The cow tipped over, falling onto its side. It started to flail around and moo in alarm. Ed pumped his fist. "Maybe you'll think twice before producing milk now!" he called to it. The others walked up to him, shaking their heads. "This is so childish," Braxton mumbled. Al agreed with him. Ed just grinned at them. "Sometimes the childish thing to do is the best thing to do. Come on!" he called to them as he crept towards the next cow. John grinned and followed him. "I suppose it couldn't be too bad, as long as we just do a few," he said.

One hour later, all six of them were rolling on the ground in laughter. Dozens of cattle were scattered across the field, squirming and mooing in distress. Ed noticed one standing. "There's one more by the fence there," he said, pointing. "You want to do the honors, Al?" Al nodded and they walked over together. Just as Al was about to push, a bright light illuminated the scene. "Edward Elric! I should have known! You though, Alphonse, I had thought better of you. And who are all these people?" Ed turned to see Old Man Stamp, the geezer who ran the ranch. Ed panicked. "Run!" he shouted. All of them vaulted the fence and made a break for it. Stamp cursed and sent his dogs after them. "Go get 'em!" he yelled.

Ed noticed the dogs gaining on them and swore. He stopped running and turned to face them. He transmuted a pair of cages around them, securing their escape. He regrouped with the others in front of headquarters, out of breath and exhausted. They looked at each other for a moment, then burst out laughing.

A tall man watched them from the shadow of a nearby building. When they went inside, he turned and walked into the countryside. He spoke into his radio. "The military unit stationed in Resembool won't be a problem. Begin the initial stages of the plan."


	4. Chapter 4

**Bearer of Truth Chapter 4- Dating Issues**

Melanie dragged Winry all over town, demanding to see all the shops and sights Resembool had to offer. Eventually, Winry got through to her enough to explain that Resembool was a small, rural town and that there wasn't much to see there. Somewhat deflated, Melanie turned to head back down the road. Suddenly, she squealed in delight and ran forward, leaning against a fence. Off in the distance, Ed and his team were surveying the land, taking note of the rises and dips.

Melanie turned to face Winry, "They're so hot!" she exclaimed. "Especially that blonde one, the one in charge." Winry felt the blood rush to her face. _Oh no_, she thought. Melanie wiggled her eyebrows at Winry. "I bet you 200 cens I can seduce him," she said mischieviously. Winry shook her head. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no. We are not going there." Melanie laughed. "You jealous, Winry?" "No!" Winry yelled. Before Melanie could go any further with this, Winry hopped the fence and ran over to Ed. He turned when he saw her coming, smiling in the way that made her heart beat a million times a minute.

"Hey, Winry," he said as she approached. "What is it? You look like you need something." Winry smiled back at him. "Just stopped by for a hello," she said. "and…" She kissed him long and hard, leaving him breathless and a little red-faced. "... to ask when you're going to pick me up tonight, Colonel." Ed recovered enough to answer her. "God, Winry, you'll be the death of me if you keep kissing me like that. I'll pick you up at 6, ok?" Winry smiled and kissed him again. "Sounds good, Ed. See you tonight." She bounced happily back to where Melanie was staring at her, a little shocked. "_You_ jealous, Melanie?" Winry asked.

Melanie pointed back and forth between Winry and Ed. "Are you two…" she trailed off. "That's Ed, my boyfriend," Winry said. Melanie glared at her. "You never told me anything about a boyfriend, Winry." she said accusingly. "Long story, but we weren't official until a few days ago," Winry said. "We've known each other since before either of us could walk. We were childhood friends, then when he lost his arm and leg when he was eleven, I became his automail mechanic." "But he has both of his arms," Melanie said, confused. Winry cursed herself. "Yeah, well he kind of got his arm back. Still has the automail leg, though," she said. "Wait, what?!" Melanie was clearly overwhelmed. "How do you get an arm back?"

Winry sighed. "Ed's an alchemist. He was gone for years, researching. When he came back home, he had gotten back his arm." Melanie looked interested now, "Oooh, your boyfriend's an alchemist, is he?" "Not just any alchemist," Winry said proudly. "He's the Fullmetal Alchemist." Melanie's eyes widened. "Seriously, Winry?" she said. "That's just not fair." Winry laughed. "If you really want, he has a younger brother who's almost as good an alchemist as he is." Melanie perked up. "Which one is he?" she asked. "The tall blonde one in the back," Winry replied. "That's the younger brother?" Melanie asked in surprise. Winry laughed. "Don't ever say that to Ed, he'll beat you for it."

The two continued their chat as they walked back to Winry's house. Pinako was home when they got back. She welcomed Melanie and made them a late lunch. Winry started showing Melanie some of the automail prototypes she had been working on. After a while, Winry glanced at the clock. She swore explosively and jumped up. Melanie looked confused. "What is it, Winry?" "I have to get ready! Ed's taking me to dinner and I only have ten minutes." Melanie helped her pick out an outfit and she had barely finished her makeup when a knock sounded on the door.

"Coming!" Winry called as she descended the stairs. She opened the door to find Ed all dressed up, pulling uncomfortably at his collar. Winry laughed. "Maybe if you dressed up more, you wouldn't find this so hard," she said, straightening the collar for him. Ed shook his head. "No way am I wearing anything like this if I don't have to." Winry smiled. "Well, from now on, you don't. You can dress normally to take me out, Alchemy Freak."

The two walked to Le Colline, the only nice restaurant in Resembool. Ed flashed his state alchemist ID and pointed to a vacant table on the terrace. The waiter nodded quickly and led them there. Their food came quickly, and Ed slowed himself from his normal pace so that he wouldn't look like a pig in front of Winry. She appreciated the gesture.

Winry had a question in the back of her mind, but she wasn't sure how to phrase it. "Hey Ed?" she asked. "Hmm?" "Where does this all… go from here? I mean, what's going to happen to the two of us?" Ed swallowed his food. "That depends on you, Winry. I want to take this as far as you want it to go. If you want to, I will marry you, but if you'd rather just be friends I'd… I'd be okay with that." Winry slapped his arm. "Stop that, you self-sacrificing jerk! Just tell me what _you_ want!" Ed blushed. "Well… uh…" "Spit it out!" Winry urged him. "I want you," Ed said. "And I want you to want me back." Winry smiled. "There, was that so hard?" Ed just grumbled. "Well, Ed, I do want you back, so…" She held up her hand. "Where's the ring?" All the color flushed from Ed's face. "I'll uh… I'll work on it." "You'd better," Winry said.

After that, the conversation took a lighter turn as the two finished their dinner. By the time they walked out of the restaurant, the tension between them was completely gone. They were walking past the remains of the Elric home when Ed heard someone behind them. He spun around, putting Winry behind him. His eyes narrowed. "You," he said threateningly.

Adam Cohen was behind them with a group of large men. "Hey, Elric. I see you brought your whore with you. That's good. I lost something very important to me in our last fight and I need an automail mechanic to replace it. You, however, I have no need for, at least not alive. I think I'll mount your head somewhere prominent." He motioned and the men he was with rushed Ed. They grabbed Ed's arms and legs, restraining him. Adam stepped forward and peeled off his gloves. "I didn't get the chance to use these in our last fight, Elric. I think you'll like them." He revealed a pair of transmutation circles on his hand and Ed's eyes widened. They were copies of the ones Kimblee had worn. "That's the most twisted sort of alchemy there is," he said in disgust. Adam grinned. "Let's start with the limbs, shall we?" He reached for Ed's arm, but suddenly it wasn't there. The man who had been holding it was on the ground, unconscious. Soon, the men holding Ed's other limbs went down in the same way.

Adam sneered and motioned for his last two men to attack Ed. Ed just sidestepped them and used alchemy to cause them to sink up to their necks in the dirt before hardening it into rock. He transmuted a sword from the air, causing Adam to pause in confusion. "How…" he didn't get a chance to finish before Ed rushed him. Adam managed to stay out of the way, but just barely. Ed kept pushing him back until he hit a fence. Backed into a corner and with his hands against the fence, Adam grinned. He finally had some material to work with. He made the fence explode, sending Ed flying back. Before Ed could recover, Adam ran towards Winry, intending to use her as a shield to prevent Ed from swinging at him.

Before his hands ever reached her, they were gone. Ed stood beside him, bloody blade in hand. Adam screamed in pain and stuck his new stumps into his armpits. Ed shoved him to the ground and planted his foot on Adam's back. "When are you going to learn you can't beat me? Not when we were kids, not when you had me tied up on a train, and certainly not now." Ed pulled a pair of handcuffs out of his pocket, before realising they would be of no use and putting them back. Instead, he grabbed Adam's hair and pulled him to his feet. "Come on," he said. "We're going to the sheriff's office."

They arrived quickly, Ed pulling Adam along. Adam's shirt had been torn and fashioned into makeshift bandages. Horrible person though he might be, they couldn't just let him bleed to death. Ed opened the door and the sheriff looked up, a flicker of shock crossing his face. "Edward Elric? Is that you?" he laughed. "When I last saw you, you were seven years old and only this high." He held his hand at the level of his desk. "Long time,no see. Now, what can I do you for?" Ed pushed Adam forward. "This man assaulted us. I want you to hold him here and care for his wounds until he can be transferred to East City Prison."

The sheriff let out a long breath. "As much as I'd like to, Edward, I can't take that kind of action without orders from higher up." Ed pulled out his badge and showed it to him. "Then as Colonel, I give you those orders." he said. The sheriff chuckled. "You've really done well for yourself. Very well, I'll do as you ask." Ed handed Adam over and he and Winry left.

Winry humphed. "Now we finally have that creep out of our hair," she said. Ed nodded in agreement. They walked along the road to Winry's house and paused on the porch. Ed turned to Winry. "Uh… Winry?" "Yes, Ed." "There's something I've been meaning to tell you, I just haven't known how to say it. I… I love you, Winry." Winry rapped him on the head. "You idiot. How could you not know how to say that? It's three simple words."

Before Ed could retort, Winry covered his lips with hers. They shared the kiss for a moment before separating. "I love you too, Alchemy Freak," Winry said. Ed turned bright red. "I… uh… um… you… l…" He straightened himself up. "Goodnight, Winry. It was great." He turned to go, but Winry grabbed his arm. "Don't go," she pleaded. "Stay here with me. Please." Ed sighed. "But Granny…" "Won't find out," Winry finished. "And besides, we're not going to do anything bad. Even you don't get that lucky on the first date, Ed." Ed reluctantly agreed and they walked inside, hand in hand.


End file.
